Onward and Upward! How to live an uncommon life.

Nobility without Pride

Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride,Friendship without envy,Or beauty without vanity?Here, where grace is served with muscleAnd strength by gentleness confinedHe serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent.There is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.
~ Ronald Duncan, “The Horse,” 1954

Having recently been introduced to the horse world I am constantly in awe of their qualities. I am told by those with decades of experience that the fascination never ends and I must say that I am looking forward to the time when I can deliver the same message many decades from now.

Over a period of many thousands of years, horses provided one of the most consistent and influential levers in the development of civilization around the world. As John Moore aptly noted: “Wherever man has left his footprint in the long ascent from barbarism to civilization we will find the hoofprint of the horse beside it.” They’ve carried us, pulled us, powered our equipment and entertained us as we fumbled our way up through the pages of history.

We’ve domesticated them yet they retain their powerful and effective herd mentality. They protect one another, organize themselves, care for their young and enjoy life, all without our intervention. While the same could be said about the intelligence and skills of their human counterparts, I can assure you that no bet was ever lost by a horse at the track!

Horses can teach a great many lessons to humans who have an ear to hear. I don’t want to spoil it for you by telling the whole story, but each of the pure qualities of expression outlined by Duncan above are natural characteristics of what I call “radiance.”

Radiance manifests through any individual who has made the connection between inner greatness and outer expression. He who is radiant is outwardly oriented, focused in serving others and devoted to giving without concern for results. Is it really so hard to imagine?

When you forget about yourself radiance comes naturally. Your expression in radiance is characterized by nobility, beauty, grace, strength and gentleness. Not sure? Watch a horse for a few minutes. They possess these qualities and are unhindered in their expression.

I encourage you take the time before you go to acquaint yourself with one or several of these magnificent beasts which have not only witnessed, but participated in the rise and fall of great civilizations throughout the history of man.

When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes. ~ William Shakespeare, Henry V

10 Responses

I was given a horse when I was young and I am still moved deeply when I think about the friendship I was able to have with her. There is nothing that I can compare with the honor of having the trust of a horse. This may sound weird (if you have never experienced it), but once that trust is there, a friendship and love develops that is so powerful, it’s difficult to explain.

Horses just are who they are – beautiful, radiant, expressive, and their temperaments and abilities are as varied as ours.

We can certainly learn a lot from them at any time, and especially if we’ve forgotten how to be ourselves and let our own radiance shine.

Horses hold a fascination even to those not directly caring for or training with them. It is good to honor and be inspired by their noble qualities and their contribution to our betterment as individuals and a civilization.

I loved the poem but was a little sad that horses are far more noble then most people. Just the thought of friendship without envy and beauty without vanity. If in an instant those two things were true of people as well you can imagine how different the world would be.

I love the feeling when I look back at times when I was really giving, while totally forgetting about myself. They are never unhappy times; on the contrary they are usually our best times. I hope to be able to have that experience more consistently, and I appreciate your posts as a daily part of that process.